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Roman Borisyuk

 

Personal photograph uploaded by Roman Borisyuk

Prof Roman Borisyuk

  • School of Computing and Mathematics (Faculty of Science and Technology)
  • Address: A 224, Portland Sq, Drake Circus,
    Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
  • Telephone: +44 (0)1752 584949


Role
Professor of Computational Neuroscience
School of Computing and Mathematics
Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems 

Qualifications & background

Diploma of Higher Education in Mathematics (equivalent to MSc) from Moscow State University, USSR, 1973

Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in Biophysics and Mathematical Biology (equivalent to PhD) from the Institute of Biological Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1984

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in Biophysics and Mathematical Biology (equivalent to DSc) from the Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1996.


BACKGROUND

I have been working in the field of neural networks for 30 years. The main direction of my research has been related to modelling the functional behaviour of structures in the central nervous system. I was among the first in the world to apply new mathematical tools – multidimensional interacting Markovian processes and fields - to the analysis of dynamical regimes in stochastic neural networks (large-scale approach using many variables).

I was engaged at Moscow in pioneer research concerned with developing numerical algorithms to investigate the bifurcations of steady states and limit cycles in nonlinear dynamical systems under parameter variation (small-scale approach using several main variables). These investigations showed that cooperative effects like physical phase-transitions and synchronisation phenomena occur normally in biological neural networks despite a very chaotic spike activity of single neurons. In addition, metastable states of neural networks were proved to be useful to model short-term memory in a series of theoretical and simulation works.

RESEARCH GOALS

My current reseact interests relate to the computational neuroscience and modelling of cognitive functions.

I am currently study neurodynamics and synchronisation in neural networks with various types of elements and architectures. The rhythm and waves in the brain are of special interest. The fulfilment of this program will form a unified approach to the solution of the problems of memory, binding, and attention.

 

Professional membership

Professional Membership

Invited Visting Professor, Mathematical Biosciences Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, April-June 2003.

2003-date Memeber of Theoretical Neuroscience Network (supported by Leverhulme Trust)

2003-date Member of Scientific Panels, European Commission, Brussels

2006-date Member of Scientific Council, European Complex Systems Society
2005-date Member of Editorial Board of  "Cognitive Neurodynamics" journal (Springer)
1990-date Member of Editorial Board of "Neural Networks" - the official Journal of International Neural Network Society (Elsevier) 

1990-date Member of Editorial Board of International Journal of Chaos Theory and Applications

2002-date Member of Editorial Board of International Journal of Integrative Neuroscience (Imperial College Press)

1990-date Member of Executive Board of the Russian Neural Network Society.

1985-96 Member of Scientific Council of Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

1990-date Member of the Russian Neural Network Society

1990-1993 Member of International Neural Network Society

2000-date Member of Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)

 


Teaching interests

Mathematical and Computational Neuroscience
Mathematical Modelling
Dynamical Systems
Bifurcation Theory


 


Research interests

CURRENT PROJECTS

Synchronisation-Based Neural Network Models of Cognitive Functions

(In collaboratin with: Dr. G. Bugmann, Dr. Ya. Kazanovich)

My research interests during last years are concentrated on the topic of cognitive function modelling on the basis of synchronisation principle. Modern computer chips are extremely fast devices in comparison with biological neurons. Nevertheless, even today’s fastest computers are much less effective in intelligent/cognitive tasks (such as image/sound recognition, memorisation and associative recall, selective attention, etc.) than those within living systems. The basic reason for this inequality stems from the fact that information processing algorithms used in computer science are vastly different from those in living systems. The very challenging problem is to study principles of information processing in the living system, to formulate these principles as computational algorithms, and to implement them into artificial devices. Rhythms, waves and synchronisation of neural activity have been observed in different brain structures for many years. Oscillations and/or synchronisation accompany sensory processing such as visual recognition, auditory processing, and odour detection, behavioural data also show oscillations. Basing on the principle of synchronisation we develop neural models of different cognitive functions like attention focus formation, novelty detection, memory, etc.


Neural Dynamics, Chaos, Synchronization

During many years, I have been studying the neuronal dynamics and its role in brain information processing. Bifurcation theory is a useful mathematical tool for this study. A numerical study of coupled neural oscillators (Wilson-Cowan type) with local interactions shows that excitatory-excitatory connections allow appearance of interesting dynamical regimes including wave propagation, irregular chaotic dynamics, persistent “islands” of high activity, etc. It is a challenging problem to study spatio-temporal patterns of neural activity, which appears in small neural population (neural circuits) under specific stimulation. Our approach is based on the idea of partial synchronisation of neural activity.


Analysis of Neurophysiological Experimental Data Using Visualisation and Virtual Reality

(In collaboratin with: Dr. E. Stuart, M.Walter)

The goal of the Project is to develop new methods for analyzing interdependencies and synchronisation between multi-dimensional simultaneously recorded spike trains. The Project is based on the modern computer science techniques such as graphical engineering, visualization and virtual reality.

 

Other research

 


Publications

JOURNAL PAPERS (2000-2007)


Borisyuk R., Cooke T., Roberts A. (2008) Stochasticity and functionality of neural systems: Mathematical modelling of axon growth in the spinal cord of tadpole. BioSystems, under review
Chik D. , Borisyuk R. and Kazanovich Y. (2008) Selective attention with spiking elements. Neural Networks, under review

Li W.-C., Cooke T., Sautois B., Soffe S., Borisyuk R. and Roberts A. (2007) Axon and dendrite geography predict the specificity of synaptic connections in a functioning spinal cord network. Neural Development, 2:17 (flagged as Highly Accessed paper)

Borisyuk R. and Cooke T. (2007) Metastable states, phase transitions, and persistent neural activity. BioSystems, 89:30-37
Borisyuk R. and Kazanovich Y. (2006) Oscillations and waves in the models of interactive neural populations. BioSystems, 86: 53-62

Kazanovich Y. and Borisyuk R. (2006) An oscillatory model of multiple object tracking. Neural Computation, 18:1413-1440

Borisyuk R., Borisyuk G., Rallings C., Thrasher M. (2005) Forecasting the 2005 general election: A neural network approach. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 7:199-209

Stuart E., Walter M., Borisyuk R. (2005) The Correlation Grid: Analysis of Synchronous Spiking in Multi-dimensional Spike Train Data and Identification of Feasible Connection Architectures. BioSystems, 79:223-233

Borisyuk R. and Hoppensteadt F. (2004) A theory of epineuronal memory. Neural Networks, 17:1427-1436

Borisyuk R. and Kazanovich Y. (2004) Oscillatory Model of Attention-Guided Object Selection and Novelty Detection. Neural Networks, 17:899-91

Borisyuk R. (2004) Models of the hippocampal theta rhythm. Journal of High Nervous Activity (Zhurnal visshei nervnoi deytel’nosti) (in Russian), 54: 83-98

Ya. Kazanovich, R. Borisyuk (2003) Synchronization in oscillator systems with a central element and phase shifts. Progress of theoretical Physics, 110:1047-1057

Borisyuk R. and Kazanovich Y. (2003) Oscillatory neural network model of attention focus formation and control. BioSystems, 71: 29-38

Borisyuk G.N., Borisyuk R.M., Kazanovich Y.B., and Ivanitsky G.R. (2002) Modelling the dynamics of neural activity and information processing in the brain: the results of the decade. (Uspekhi fizicheskix nauk – Physica - Uspekhi), 172:1189-1214 (in Russian)

Borisyuk G.N., Borisyuk R.M., Kazanovich Y.B., Ivanitskii G.R. (2002) Models of neural dynamics in brain information processing - the developments of the decade. PHYSICS-USPEKHI, 45:1073-1095

Borisyuk R. (2002) Oscillatory activity in the neural networks of spiking elements. BioSystems, 67:3-16

Kazanovich Y., Borisyuk R. (2002) Object selection by an oscillatory neural network. BioSystems, 67:103-111

Stuart L, Walter M., and Borisyuk R. (2002) Visualisation of Synchronous Firing in Multi-dimensional Spike Trains. BioSystems, 67:265-278

Borisyuk R. (2001) Puzle of chaotic neurodynamics. Behaioral Brain Science, 24:812-813

Borisyuk R., Denham M., Kazanovich Y., Hoppensteadt F. Vinogradova O., (2001). Oscillatory Model of Novelty Detection. Network: Computation in Neural System, 12: 1-20

Borisyuk R. (2000) Encyclopedia of computational neuroscience: The end of the second millennium. Behavioral Brain Science, 23:534-535

Denham M., Borisyuk R. (2000) A Model of Theta Rhythm Production in the Septal-Hippocampal System and its Modulation by Ascending Brainstem Pathways. Hippocampus, 10:698-716

Borisyuk R., Borisyuk G. (2000) Complex Dynamics of Interactive Neural Oscilltators. Journal of Chaos Theory and Applications, 5:45-62

Borisyuk R., Denham M., Kazanovich Y., Hoppensteadt F. Vinogradova O. (2000). An Oscillatory Neural Network Model of Sparse Distributed Memory and Novelty Detection. BioSystems, 58:265-272

 

BOOK CHAPTERS (2000-2007)

 

Borisyuk R. (2005) Neural connectivity and dynamical regimes of neural activity in a network of interactive populations. In: BV&AI 2005, De Gregorio et al. (Eds.), LNCS, Vol. 3704, Springer, 39-48

Kazanovich Y., Borisyuk R. (2005) An oscillatory neural model for tracking a moving object. In: Proceedings of NCWP-9, Plymouth, September 2004, Editors: Cangelosi A., Bugmann G., Borisyuk R., World Scientific, 259-268

Borisyuk R., Kazanovich Y. (2004) Designing an oscillatory model of brain cognitive functions. In: Progress in neural processing, v. 15, Proceedings of the eighth neural computation and psychology workshop. Connectionist models of cognitive perception II, Eds. H. Bowman, Ch. Labiouse, World Scientific, 285-294

Borisyuk R., Borisyuk G., Kazanovich Ya. (2001) Temporal structure of neural activity and modelling of information processing in the brain. In: Emergent Neural Computational Architectures based on Neuroscience. S.Wermter, J. Austin, D. Wilshaw (eds.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, LNAI Vol. 2036, Springer, 237-254

Borisyuk G.N., Borisyuk R.M. and Kazanovich Y.B. (2000). Models of temporal structure of neural activity and information processing in the brain. Book Chapter In: Time and the Brain, R. Miller (ed.) Harwood Academic Publishers, 331-349

Borisyuk G., Borisyuk R., Kazanovich Y. and Strong G. (2000) Oscillatory neural networks: Modeling binding and attention by synchronization of neural activity. Book Chapter In: Oscillations in Neural Systems, V.Brown, D. Levine, T. Shirey (eds.), Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. Inc., 261-283

 

Reports & invited lectures

Invited Lectures and Talks (from 2001)

 

94th International Titisee Conference The dynamical Brain, Germany, November 2006

Exeter Neurodynamics meeting, July 2006

International Workshop Hippocampus and Memory, Pushchino, Russia, June 26-30, 2006. “The Vinogradova theory of hippocampal comparator and computational modelling of cognitive functions”

International Conference BIOCOMP 2005, Vietri sul Mare, December 12-16, 2005. "Metastable states, persistent neural activity, and memory"

International Workshop on Real-time Computing and Neural Dynamics in the Brain, RIKEN, Tokyo, March, 2005 "The Vinogradova-Kryukov theory of brain functioning and computational models of cognitive functions"

Invited Colloquium talk, Centre for Mathematical Modelling, University of Leicester, February, 2005. "Oscillatory neural models of memory formation and novelty detection"

Workshop on Oscillator dynamics, University of Exeter, January 2004, "Oscillatory Model of Attention-Guided Object Selection and Novelty Detection"

British Computer Society Summer School on Pattern Recognition, Exeter, July 2003

Neurodynamics meeting, East Midlands Mathematical Physics seminar, Loughborough University, March 2003, "Oscillatory neural model of cognitive functions"

London Mathematical Society Meeting, University of Southampton, October 2003, "Dynamics of neural activity, synchronization and information processing"

International Conference BIOCOMP2002, Italy, June 2002. “Oscillatory dynamics and memory modelling in neural networks of spiking elements”

Invited talk for a Special Session of the Research Council on Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences devoted to Prof. Olga Vinogradova. Pushchino, Russia, June, 2002. “Mathematical and computational model of hippocampal function”.

Invited seminar in Department of Mathematics, University of Liverpool “Oscillatory neural networks and information processing”, March 2001.

Workshop on Computational Neuroscience. Oxford Consortium on industrial and Applied Mathematics, October 2001. “Complex neural dynamics and information processing in the brain"

Invited seminar talk at Department of Cybernetics, Reading University, October 2001, "Synchronisation based models of cognitive functions”. 25 October 2001.

 

Conferences organised

RECENT CONFERENCES (from 2001)

Organising Committee Member of the 7th Neural Coding Workshop, Montevideo, Uruguay, November 2007
Scientific Committee Member of 2d International Symposium on Brain Vision and Artificial Intelligence, October, 2007, Naples, Italy

Co-Organiser of International Symposium "Theory and neuroinformatics in reseach related to deep brain stimulation", March 2007, London
Scientific Committee Member of 1st International Symposium on Brain Vision and Artificial Intelligence, October, 2005, Naples, Italy

Organising Committee Member of the 6th Neural Coding Workshop, Marburg, Germany, August 2005

Scientific Committee Member, International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, JCNN 2004, Budapest, 2004.

Organiser of a special session on a role of noise in neural activity, International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, JCNN 2004, Budapest, 2004.

Organising Committee Member of the 9th Neural Computation and Psychology Workshop (Plymouth, September 8-10 2004)

Organising Committee Member of the 5th Neural Coding Workshop, Aula, Italy, September 2003

Organising Committee Member of Annual Russian Conference on Neuroinformatics (1999-date)

Organising Committee Member of the 4th International Workshop on Neural Coding, Plymouth, 2001

 



Links

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